judith
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Curtain ideas pleaseI want to make some sort of curtain / "door" for our attic bedroom.
It's quite a nice room in itself, but the rest of the attic is full of boxes, assorted junk and other storage, so we need some way to close it off to make it a bit cosier. The problem is the triangular top to the doorway. I can't work out how to hang the curtain once I've made it. (I've got one of those swing-out curtain rod thingies for using with doors, but I can't see any sensible way of fixing it).
I don't want to spend too much as, at some point in the not-to-distant future, its all going to be redecorated. OH says he will move the attractive bulkhead light if necessary!
Any ideas that don't involve making an actual solid door to go in the doorway?
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sally_in_wales
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Could you attach the curtain to a fixed rail along the sloping part, then use a big knob or hook thing to gather back the curtain when its not wanted. Would that be too bulky?
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judith
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Do you mean so that the curtain is totally fixed at the top? That might work. It would probably have to be fairly lightweight fabric, to prevent it being too bulky.
The other minor problem is that it is quite dingy up there, so I don't want to cut out too much light (who on earth would put Velux windows on the North side of the roof - or wallpaper the attic in navy blue, for that matter  ).
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Cathryn
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Teenagers room? I remember in my childhood home one bedroom was painted black with the rally car pictures stuck directly to the wall! What about two layers of filmy curtain(a la Ian Snow shop in Machynlleth - what am I saying - the fabric shop there sells such stuff inexpensively) then go with Sallys suggestion of fixed across the "top" and held back - it will still appear light and you could use two different colours for a shimmer.
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JB
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Bead curtain? That wouldn't need to be drawn back but it might catch on things your taking through there.
Or one of those curtain rails with the inbuilt drawcord. Then tying the cord would hold it open on the high side but untied it wouldn't all slide to the bottom.
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mochyn
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What about a curtain cut to shape (with allowance for gathers) and looped onto hooks set into the beam. The curtain then gets hooked back when not in use. Two layers of something light, as per Ruby's idea. If you had two layers one could 'swag' to either side of the space.
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judith
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| mochyn wrote: | | What about a curtain cut to shape (with allowance for gathers) and looped onto hooks set into the beam. |
I'm coming to terms with the thought that it's going to have to be a shaped curtain (I'm rubbish at measuring things to fit, so I was trying to avoid it!). The thought of velcro occurred to me last night - put a small batten with velcro on the long straight side and then use hooks at the corners. It could then be rolled back or bunched up and tied to the velcroed side.
Does that make any sense, or am I overcomplicating this?
| Ruby wrote: | | Ian Snow shop in Machynlleth |
Ooh. Dangerous talk 
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Northern_Lad
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How about a non-sliding curtain?
Fix the material either to a pole or directly to the frame and just move it to one side with a tie at 45 degrees.
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judith
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| Northern_Lad wrote: | | Fix the material either to a pole or directly to the frame and just move it to one side with a tie at 45 degrees. |
Where would you put the pole then? (I can't believe I just said that to you )
If it goes at the top, I'm not sure there will be enough fullness to fill the doorway. Or have I misunderstood what you mean?
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Northern_Lad
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| judith wrote: | | Northern_Lad wrote: | | Fix the material either to a pole or directly to the frame and just move it to one side with a tie at 45 degrees. |
Where would you put the pole then? (I can't believe I just said that to you )
If it goes at the top, I'm not sure there will be enough fullness to fill the doorway. Or have I misunderstood what you mean? |
Oh! Matron!
I'd mount it on either the internal or external beam, rather than within the opening. that way you've got a bit of tollerance and you're certain to cover the whole opening without gaps at the edges.
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hedgehogpie
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1. Cut a pole (broomhandle is good) or dowel to fit the length of the angled beam across the top of the door, minus a small amount to allow for small screw eyes to fit each end.
2. Attach a small screw eye to each end of the pole.
3. Attach some small hooks (like cuphooks) to the angled wooden beam over the door at the appropriate distance to attach to the pole. Hang the Pole to make sure it's as you want it, and that you can get it on and off easily.
4. Measure the width of your doorway. Double it. Measure the doorway to the heighest point of the angle, & allow a generous bit extra for hems and turnings. Go and get your chosen fabric.
5. Sew your fabric panels together to make a center seam on one double width, full height panel. Fold and sew the side seams to tidy them.
6. Using drawing pins, pin the fabric over the doorway, with one side seam straight against the door edge (you can pin this too to stop it moving about) this allows you to get the angle you need to cut the top at*. Mark this - you don't need to try to do the full width ( it'll be fiddly!), just enough to give you a good accurate working angle. *(don't forget to allow extra fabric at the bottom of the curtain for a hem!)
7. Take it down and lay out flat somewhere, so that you can finish off marking the angle across the full width. Now fold and allow enough fabric to turn and sew a loose tube along that angle.
If you also leave a couple of inches above where the tube will be you'll get an attractive frill effect as you gather the fabric onto the pole. Once it's sewn, you feed the pole into it, gathering as you go.
8. You now have a curtain. Hang it in the doorway and mark,
pin or tack the base (straight) hem. Take it back down and sew this.
9. Attach a hook or curtain tie back to the lowest side of the door frame to drape your curtain to when you need it open. If you do it this side, you won't have to fight with the curtain or stoop so much every time you want to go through!
That's sorta how I'd go about it....... 
It'll be more fiddly if you choose a double thickness or sheer fabric tho'
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judith
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Hedgehogpie, those are excellent instructions - just what I needed. Thank you.
Why didn't I think of just pinning the fabric in place around the doorway, rather than panicking about cutting the angles?!
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hedgehogpie
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 Glad it was of use to you, just hope it works!
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mochyn
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Shall I pop over one day/evening and lend a hand or two? Such jobs are much easier with 4 hands than with only 2.
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judith
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If you have the time - yes please! But only if you promise not to look at the mess in the rest of the attic 
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mochyn
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When would you like? Is next week too late? Say Weds. afternoon?
And I hate to say it, but you missed a great show at Builth 
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judith
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Next Wednesday would be great. Thanks. Can't do anything at all that needs to be kept clean this week as my kitchen is being sandblasted 
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mochyn
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My mum had a method of decorating kitchens: put baked beans in pressure cooker: leave too along: allow to blow safety valve. Result: pale pink kitchen.
Would this work with a sand mix in the cooker to do instant blasting?
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judith
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Hmm. I'll suggest it to the chaps tomorrow
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